The 6-pin connector (plug) for the control cable to my G800SA rotor control box is damaged (makes intermittent contact) and seems unrepairable.  It appears to be some sort of Molex type plug.  Are there any mail order sources for this connector besides Vertex/Yaesu?  If you know of a source and a part number I would be happy to hear from you. 

Thanks and 73,
Bob KW4CQ

I have never really had long term rust protection using Rust Oleum zinc based paints from  Home Depot, the paints don't last very long after applied.  Try  "Rust Bullet".  Apply it directly over any rust on your tower and the results will be amazing.  Unless the rust spot on your tower is really deeply rusted, in which case you can wire brush it off and apply Rust Bullet. you don't need to sand or brush the rust at all according to Rust Bullet.  This product is designed to penetrate rust and provide a very long term protective seal where it is applied.  Order one of their sample kits for about $40.00 which provides you with two 4-ounce cans of Rust Bullet, a couple of brushes and rubber goves.  It also come in quarts and gallon size cans.  Available by mail order only as near as I can tell.  Yes, I know, its a bit expensive but the application lasts a very long time and won't peal off in the weather.  Visit www.rustbullet.com for more information.

Michael, if you have the room, why not put up something like an Off Center Fed Dipole (OCFD) that covers multiple bands and provides some gain on 20m?  Google the web for "OCFD" and you will find lots of DIY information on building one of these antenna along the results it provides.  Mine is at 45 feet facing broadsid towards Europe and South America and I find its performance to be outstanding.  Another antenna which will give you some gain on 20m is an 80m full wave loop.  There were times when my loop would outperform my tower mounted 11 element Log Periodic Array beam on 20m by one or two S-units when doing some A/B comparisons.  You just never know until you try some wire in the sky.  Good luck Michael and 73. Bob, KW4CQ in Virginia

Go to www.criticaltowers.com and download their BX Series Towers for 2011 Catalog.  Prices there too for everything you may need for your HDBX tower. Seems like they have most everything in stock.   I hope you have a fat checkbook because the prices are outrageously high for this stuff.

I had great success operating from SE Asia (XW8 and HS, which probably explains all those 59 signal reports I received!) back in the early '60s using a home brewed (bamboo spreaders and 300-ohm ribbon) version of the famous old ZL Special beam for 20m.  The two element version had pretty darn good performance as I recall.  I would be interested to know if anyone had success designing and building a 3-element version? Perhaps just adding a reflector or director at with the appropriate spacing?  I sure would like to hear from you and/or any information you may be able to provide regarding same.

Thanks and 73 to everyone from,

Bob KW4CQ
Richmond, VA

The time is approaching when I have to give up my big home, tower and beam and move into a townhouse retirement community with the usual HOA antenna restrictions. One antenna that may save the day and allow me to stay on the air is the High Sierra HS-1800/Pro that I see being advertised on their web site. The HS web site photos of antenna installations give me some hope and encouragement. I (and possibly others in the same situation who may be reading this post)would love to hear from folks who are using this and similar antennas. How have you installed yours? Has it been reliable? And it particular, how well does it work for you on the various bands? All advice and recommendations will be greatfully appreciated.....73. Bob KW4CQ

The time is approaching when I have to give up my big home, tower and beam and move into a townhouse retirement community with the usual HOA antenna restrictions.  One antenna that may save the day and allow me to stay on the air is the High Sierra HS-1800/Pro that I see being advertised on their web site.  The HS web site photos of antenna installations give me some hope and encouragement. I (and possibly others in the same situation who may be reading this post)would love to hear from folks who are using this and similar antennas.  How have you installed yours?  Has it been reliable? And it particular, how well does it work for you on the various bands?  All advice and recommendations will be greatfully appreciated.....73.  Bob KW4CQ

Suggest you visit the web sites at WWW.NU9N.COM and WWW.WZ5Q.NET.   Have a look at their material and listen to the sample audio recordings available there and then judge for yourself.  

I can't imagine the remaining big radio Titans like Icom and Ysesu staying in the HF Radio market much longer trying to compete against Flex Radio given the cost of developing and manufacturing their "big box" radios.  The profit margin on an Icom or Yaesu must be mighty small when compared to radios based on SDR technology. Not withstanding the superior performance of SDR radios it would appear to me that these companies will have to rethink their market strategy and offer SDR based radios if they are going to survive in the HF radio business much longer.

I was wondering if anyone may be using an UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) for protection of your expensive transceiver against a momentary surge in AC line voltage?  My Yaesu transceiver recently went completely dead on me after our neighborhood experienced an AC power interruption lasting only a second or two while I was on the air in an SSB QSO.  The transceiver had to go back to Vertex/Yaesu to be repaired.  You can find various brands of UPS systems being sold in your computer stores under the name of APC, Belkin, etc. rated at up to 1500 VA with 800 or 900 Joules of surge protection.  While the surge protection provided by the UPS's AC outlets in these systems offer a measure of protection from lightning spikes on your AC line it was, I believe in my case, the sudden transitory change in AC line voltage the radio suffered that caused its failure.  Does the Automatice Voltage Regulation (AVR) in these UPS work with transceivers?  Do these UPS systems provide a "soft" shutdown of your radio in case of a power failure?  Anyone out there have experience using an UPS for radio protection? I'd like to hear from you if you do.  Thanks and best 73...Bob...KW4CQ  

My 4 year old Yaesu rotor control box suddenly seems to be radiating a very strong hash "crackeling" signal that covers all bands. When the Power button is turned off the RFI stops.  With Power back on it returns.  The RFI is present and just as strong even when the control cable is disconnected from the control box so I have to conclude the issue is with the control box itself. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should check to eliminate this problem?

Thanks and 73,

Bob KW4CQ  

I would love to hear from anyone who, in the 1960's, operated the MARS/Ham stations at (KA2NY) Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan or at (KA5MC) MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.  I was at Yokosuka during 1965-1968 and at Iwakuni during 1963-1965.

73,

Bob Cleve, KW4CQ
Reston, Virginia

Thanks for the information.  I finally found the schematics and service manual on mods.dk.

73...KW4CQ

Does anyone have or know where I can get a schematic diagram or service manual for the ICOM IC-R75 Receiver?  Sure need some help with this one.

Thanks and 73...Bob KW4CQ

I am hearing a low level 120 cycle hum in my headphones at the monitor jack of the TS-950SDX with the AF gain turned all the way down.  Measured the hum frequency with an oscilloscpe and confirmed it is indeed 120 cycles and not 60 cycles.  The hum can also be heard in the monitor jack at a low level between words and pauses while transmitting on SSB.  I disconnected everything from the radio but the AC power cord and even connected a good ground to the 950 but the hum persisted.  I also eliminated the possibility of the hum coming from a nearby magnetic field by removing all other equipment that was near the 950.

Has anyone run into this problem before and know the cause and fix?

Thanks and 73...Bob